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Aug. 8 special election will be expensive, Greene County elections director says

XENIA — The special election scheduled for Aug. 8 will be expensive, a Greene County Board of Elections official said, and taxpayers will end up footing the bill whatever it costs.

>> RELATED: Ohio House puts constitutional issue on August ballot

Thursday, workers in Greene County were still counting and certifying votes cast in last week’s primary election. And while that’s happening, elections officials are having to prepare for the special election in August.

The Ohio House voted Wednesday to create the special election, which will ask voters whether to increase the voter threshold from 50 percent and one vote to a 60-percent majority on constitutional amendments.

Vacations are being canceled and poll workers will have to be hired because of the special election, Alisha Lampert, Greene County Board of Elections director, told News Center 7′s Kayla McDermott.

Back-to-back elections are difficult to manage and the August special election was unexpected, Lampert said, but it’s still important for people to vote because the issue on the ballot will affect every person in the state.

What must be done, must be done no matter the cost.

“Our last special here in Greene was just over $900,000,” Lampert said. “So it’s spendy. It’s not going to be cheap.

“And either way, if the county pays for it or the state pays for it, it’s still coming down to taxpayer money.”

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